LEAP Team

Mike Gaffney, Managing Director

Mike is MD and a founding member of LEAP. His professional experience covers both the small-medium size enterprises and the multi-national space where he worked with Nortel Networks in both Engineering and Financial capacities. While working in Nortel, Mike managed European Commission Framework Programmes leading teams based in Germany, Holland and Ireland. Mike’s specialist area of focus is leadership development. Working with business owners and senior managementof organisations throughout Ireland Mike has established a strong reputation in assisting decision makers to successfully demonstrate leadership and drive business forward. Mike is regularly invited to speak on leadership at conferences and seminars including individual organisations and groups, Chambers of Commerce, ISME, VHI and Skillnets. Mike has validated his concepts on leadership with a number of key clients and through his involvement with the NUI Galway Rowing team. This team has broken the mould in Rowing by winning multiple medals at international regattas and world championships – an unprecedented success in Irish rowing. Mike holds an Honours degree in Industrial Engineering from NUI, Galway and a Master’s degree in Computing Engineering from Manhattan College, New York, USA.

Tricia Cunningham, Co-Founder & Senior Partner

Tricia’s expertise lies in the development and customisation of training development programmes within the SME and multi-national sectors. She has a successful track record assisting leaders and managers in understanding themselves, their strengths and how to maximise their impact on their organisation. Tricia also works with individuals ona one-to-one basis providing coaching support to address identified business performance issues. Having spent an extensive period of time as a training and development professional in the United States, where she earned a Masters of Science in Training and Development (Lesley College, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1998) Tricia returned to Ireland and joined Nortel Networks where she was appointed Training & Development Manager before co-founding LEAP in 2000 and today remains a senior partner of the company. Tricia’s work and collaboration with SMEs, multinationals and educational organisations throughout Ireland has significantly improved the capabilities of management teams and leaders together with the overall business performance.

John Raftery, Senior Partner

John is a highly motivated presenter and executive coach with wide ranging business skills gained through his various roles as Business Consultant, Business Mentor, Manufacturing Manager, Business Manager and Project Manager. John has worked with business owners and leaders to develop Strategic Plans for their organisations. He has facilitated multi-cultural teams to improve their performances and to deliver targets and he has provided mentoring support to leaders and managers to improve individual contributions and overall organisation effectiveness. John is practical, pragmatic and very incisive. These capabilities make him a much sought after mentor and executive coach, for diverse groups from company leaders to supervisors. His candid no nonsense approach enables managers to deliver on their capabilities in a supportive and decisive environment. John specialises in providing executive coaching support to high performers, enabling them to realise more of their potential, in a practical manner. He also challenges those he coaches to step up to the next level of performance, which results in significant transformation in individual manager’s capabilities and contribution. John has worked as a lecturer in Operations Management for the Irish Institute of Industrial Engineers, and has developed and delivered Personal Development Programmes for a wide range of organisations. John holds a Diploma in Personal and Business Life coaching, a Diploma from the Project Management Institute in association with University College Cork, and an Irish Management Institute Diploma in Manufacturing Management. Additionally, he has a Diploma in Training & Education from NUIG.